Short-term lets - important dates

It remains a criminal offence to operate a short-term let without a short-term let licence and you could be fined up to £2,500.

Has your short-term let been in operation before 1 October 2022 and you have applied for a short-term let licence before 1 October 2023?

In ordinary circumstances, if you have been operating the short-term let accommodation for guests paying and staying before 1 October 2022, and you apply and pay for a short-term let licence before 1 October 2023 (ie by the end of day on 30 September 2023) you may continue to accept bookings and welcome guests to that short-term let accommodation from 1 October 2023 and beyond for the duration that your licence application is being processed.

You do not need to have had your licence granted by 1 October 2023 to continue your operation - you merely must have applied for your short-term let licence before that date. Again, this applies only in respect of short-term let accommodation that was fully operational before 1 October 2022.

If as an existing host you fail to apply for a licence by the deadline of 30 September 2023 at 11.59pm, you will be unable to welcome guests for any new or pre-existing bookings for dates from 1 October 2023 onwards, until a licence is granted. In other words, if you apply for a licence on or after 1 October 2023, your application will be deemed to be for a new operation, regardless of when or for how long you may have been in operation before that date. As such, while you will be allowed to continue to advertise your short-term let, you will not be permitted to take bookings or welcome guests until the licence is granted.

Has your short-term let been in operation before 1 October 2022 and have you failed to apply for a short-term let licence by 11.59pm on 30 September 2023?

Regardless of whether you have been operating the short-term let accommodation for guests paying and staying before 1 October 2022, if you have failed to apply and pay for a short-term let licence by the end of day on 30 September 2023, you must stop accepting bookings and welcoming guests to your short-term let accommodation from 1 October 2023 and beyond until you apply for and are granted a short-term let licence.

To be clear: in these circumstances, you may not welcome guests for any new or pre-existing bookings for date from 1 October 2023 onwards, until a licence is granted.

If you apply for a licence on or after 1 October 2023, your application will be deemed to be for a new operation, regardless of when or for how long you may have been in operation before that date. As such, while you will be allowed to continue to advertise your short-term let, but you will not be permitted to take bookings or welcome guests until the licence is granted.